Cap applying machine



Sept. 29, 1936. c. H. BRINTON YCAP APPLYING MACHINE Filed De'c. 1, 19323 Sheets-Sheet 1 w l QM, w, \J MW. 1 rmw n. IIWW n ILN JWN Hlwrfvniw uQW Q w RWE L 1 Vl u. n1.., L E \l Arti l|\|l mw @WR w k) m R. w .7@ ww oo QQ um, w A mw mi w mw N NM L M @www .Ml l KQ .v L. mw RN mm, k\\..\.NN mw m n .W10 md, nu \N\ mm. ,um RT- mm Mm. 6mm Nm. .mm

MLM @W- Sept. 29,1936. c. H. BRIN'roN CAP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Dec. l,1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eden 0r' CHR/sfu BRI/vrom Patented Sept. 29, 1936UNITED STATESv CAP APPLYING MACHINE Christian Harrison Brinton, OakPark, Ill., as-

signor to Standard Cap and Seal Corporation, Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Virginia Application December 1, 1932, Serial No. 645,290

Claims.

A This invention relates to limprovements in cap applying machines, andmore particularly pertains to such a machine for securing skirted capsof pliable material, such as thin soft metal, over 5 the necks ofcontainers or bottles.

Objects of the invention are to provide such a machine which will securethe-caps in such a manner whereby the cap skirt evenly conforms to theneck of the bottle; to provide such a machine that will exert uniformconforming pressure on the skirt of the cap placed on the neck of abottle having a protuberance about the mouth thereof, such as a bead,whereby the cap is tightly drawn down over and firmly secured to l5 the-neck of the bottle and into any groove or recesses thereof.

In the attainment of the foregoing objects, the machine is provided witha capping device including a ring of resilient material, such as rubber,which is adapted to surround the skirt of the cap placed onvthe bottleneck. The device includes means for compressing the ring fiatwise,causing the ringfto spread inwardly, which exerts the forming pressureon the cap skirt.

It is another object of the invention to provide a capping machinehaving such a capping device mentioned, and actuating ,means thereforwhich is initially rendered operable by the presence of a bottle inconnection with the capping device, and maintained in operationthereafter in applying a cap, by separate control means. This results inthe effective life of the resilient' rubber ring being prolonged, andalso eliminates the possibilityl of the bottles being damaged in the asa mechanical element' in the cappirg device 'beingo maintained in`operation during the application of the cap.

Furtherobjects and advantages of the invention willv become apparent inthe following description, with reference to the accompanying fdrawings,in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the cap applying machineembodying theinvention, with the lower part of the machine in sectionand parts broken away and parts omitted.

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional view taken substantially on the section line2 2 of Fig. 1, with parts broken away and parts omitted.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic developed elevation of the machine with certainparts omitted, and as viewed looking toward the right hand side of themachine in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the section line 4 4of Fig. 1.

machine, for the reas`on that it does not function Fig. 5 is an enlargedvertical section of the capping device taken substantially on .thesection line 5 5 of Fig. 2 with certain cooperating parts of the machinebeing diagrammatically 5 illustrated therewith.

Fig. 6 is a. view similar to Fig. 5 showing certain parts in changedposition, the view being taken substantially on the section line 6 6 o fFig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the neck portion of a container orbottle, showing the skirted cap applied thereto.

Since the cap applying mechanism of this invention is shown as appliedto container or bottle conveying means which are well known in the art,in describing the machine embodyingmy invention, I will first dwellbriefly on the bottle-transporting means with a general description ofthe capping mechanism and its cooperative connection therewith.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bottle conveying mechanism includesa continuously-moving feed belt I in the form of a sprocket chain havingcleated links. The upper stretch of the 'belt is supported horizontallyupon side rails 2 mounted at each `end on pedestals 3 and :4 secured onthe base frame 5 at the left end and central portion thereofrespectively, as seen in Fig. 1.l The feed belt passes over an idlersprocket 6 on the shaft 'l rotatably mounted in suitable bearings "atthe outer end of the rails, and passes over a drive sprocket 8 on theshaft 9 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings on the pedestal 4.Adjustably mounted on the rails arev guide bars l0 at each side of thebelt for guiding the bottles on the belt.

The filled bottles Il which are ready to be capped are placedvon thefeed belt at the left side of the machine as viewed in Fig. 1. Thebottles are then carried toward the center of the machine andare broughtinto cooperative relation with a cap feeding device I2 mounted on thepedestal 3 and disposed over the feed belt, and which is operated by thebottles as they pass for placing a pliable cap I 4 of skirted formationloosely over the necks of the bottles.

The cap feeding device shown relates to my application for patent,Serial No. 637,812, filed October 14, 1932, andwhile forming anoperative combination with the subject matter of this invention, thecaps could also be placed on the bottles by hand or' manually while theyare moving with the feed belt. Therefore, a detailed description of thecap feeding device will not be r dwelt on, however, it is thoughtsufcient to mention that the device includes a cap magazine or chute l5llocated directly over the feed belt, being inclined downwardtheretoward in the direction of travel of the belt. The chute is adaptedto contain a supply of caps arranged ln single order which are suppliedto the chute by cap forming mechanism I6 at the top end of the chute. Atthe bottom end of the chute is dispensing mechanism I1 which releasablypositions a cap so that its open side is in the path of the neck of abottle on the feed belt. The neck of the moving bottle enters the capand releases same from said mechanism, whereby the cap then restslooselyover the mouth of the bottle.

As a bottle continues on toward the center of the machine after being soloosely capped, it engages a point of the six-pointed star wheel |8 on avertical shaft I9 rotatably mounted in a bearing at the outer end of.anw arm extension 20 of` the pedestal 4. After passingthe star wheeland turning same, the bottle engages in a pocket in the periphery of adriven fourpointed star wheel 2| which transfers the bottles from theend of the feed belt to a carrier structure 'including a turntable 22arranged in coplanar relation with. the belt. The turntable is mountedon a Vertical driven shaft 23 rotatably mounted in a bearing 24 on thebase frame and a bearing 25 in the center of a spider frame 26 mountedat the top end of the four vertical uprights 21 equally spaced about theturntable and being mounted on the base frame. A small shelf 28. extendsbetween the end of the feed belt and the turntable for supporting thebottles in passing therebetween. The star wheel 2| is sei cured to thetop end of a vertical driven shaft A tles from jamming.

Upon being transferred to the turntable, the bottles are positioned uponvertically reciproca ble bottle supports 33 in the form of plungers ofwhich there are six'equally spaced about the axis of the table on whichthey are mounted. The bottlesare then carried around and raised by theplungers into cooperative relation with capping devices 34 mounted inconnection with the carrier structure by way of a star shaped bracket 35which is adjustably mounted on the turntable shaft 23, on which bracketsaid devices are reciprocably mounted, each being disposed above abottle support. The capping devices constrict 'or form the skirt of thecaps tightly over the necks of the bottles, whereupon the bottles arelowered by the plungers and upon reaching the level of the table, aretransferred from the supports by the driven star wheel 36 coacting withthe arcuate deector guide member 31 ontoV an ejector belt conveyor 38for transporting the bottles from the machine, and whose upper stretchis in coplanar relation with the table. A shelf portion 39 surroundsthetable level and is interposed between same and the ejector belt, andmounted on the uprights 21, for supporting the bottles in transport.Although the ejector belt 38 is only partly shown in Fig. 1, taken together'with Fig. 2 wherein it is completely illustrated in plan, it willbe clearly understood that said belt construction is similar to the feedbelt arrangement. To this end the ejector belt passes over a drivesprocket 40 mounted on the driven shaft 9 and also passes overv an idlersprocket 4| suitably mounted in bearings at the right hand end of themachine on the shelf portion 39.-,

'The bottle supports or plungers 33 are in the form of verticallydisposed hollow cylinders reciprocably mounted in bearings 42 in theturn table, the top of the cylinders being closed and normally locatedlevel with the top surface of the tum-table. Upon rotation of the table,the plungers are raised and lowered by a segmental cam 43 mounted on thebase and arranged concentric with the table. A cam operated lever 44 isinterposed between the cam and the plungers for providing an operableconnection, wherein the lever .is pivotally mounted at 45 to the bottomend of a bracket 4'6 depending from the table, and whose free end isprovided with a roller 41 for engagement with the cam. The lever hasresilient pivotal connection with the plunger through jtheintermediation of a link 48 which is in turn pivotally connected to aplug 49 slidably mounted in the bottom end of the plunger and which isresiliently held against a stop flange 56 at said end by a compressionspring 5| disposed within the plunger and engaging said plug.

For driving the turntable, the conveyor belts and the transporting starwheels, an electric motor 52 is employed which is mounted on the baseframe at the left hand end ofthe machine and has a drive pulley 53 fordriving an enlarged power pulley 54 through the intermediation of a belt55. Thepulley 54 is mounted on the end of a horizontal stub shaft 56suitably mounted in bearings in the housing 51 on the base. Under thebase is a horizontal worm shaft 58 driven by the shaft 56 through theintermediation of gears 59 connecting the ends of the shafts. A clutchdevice 60 is provided in connection with the shaft 56 for controllingits connection with the worm shaft. The worm shaft has a worm formation6| in mesh with a worm wheel 62 mounted on the bottom end of theturntable shaft 23 for driving same. Above the worm wheel 62 is a spurgear 63 mounted on the turntable shaft and which meshes with the spurgearl 64 at the bottom end of the star wheel shaft 29 for driving same.Said spur gears 63 and 64 are so proportioned as to 'effect the propertiming of the star wheel 2| and the turntable in 'acting upon thebottles. The

veyor belts is in driven connection with thelstar wheel shaft 29 throughthe intermediation of the bevel gears 65. The star wheel 36 is in drivenconnection with the sprocket shaft 9 throughithe intermediation of avertical stub `shaft suitably mounted in a bearing on the shelf portion39, on which the wheel is mounted, and bevel gears and shafting 66,diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2` in dotted outline.

- The capping devices 34 and the instrumentalities controlling theoperation thereof, will now.

be described. Said devices are inclusive of a hollow capping head 61 ofcylindrical shape which is located above the bottle support plungers andbeing coaxial therewith. Each head 61 is mounted at the bottom end of asleeve shaft 66 which is reciprocably mounted coaxial .with respect tothe head in a bearing 69 at the end of each arm of the star shapedbracket 35. The sleeve shaft has an annular abutment formation 10 forengagement with the bottom end of the bearing 69 in limiting itsmovement to raised position, and also driven sprocket-- shaft 9 -whichoperates the coni gagement with the bearing in limiting its movement tolowered position. Coaxially located within the head is a ring 12 ofresilient material such as rubber, which is peripherally confined in thehead and is supported on the inner annular formation or shoulder 19.Said shoulder formation comprises a cap-ring in threaded engagement withthe open bottom end of the head so as to facilitate the replacement 'ofthe rubber ring. Reciprocably mounted in the sleeve shaft 68 is anothersleeve shaft 14, at the bottom end of which is a cupped shaped plungerhead 15 dis-,-y

posed in the hollow head 61 and normally engages the top iiat side ofthe ring 12. The sleeve shaft 14 extends upward beyond the sleeve 68 andhas a collar 16 secured to its top end. A coil compression spring 11surrounds the sleeve 14 and is interposed between the collar .16 and thecollar 1I on the sleeve 68 for resiliently holding the plunger head 15in normally retracted position in the capping head. Mounted in the innersleeve 14 is a stem or spindle 18 which is xedly secured to the outersleeve 68 by means of a cross pin 19 which also passes through andsecures the collar 1| to the sleeve 68. T'he sleeve 14 is provided withelongated slots 8|) in opposite sides..

through which thepin passes and whereby said sleeve is maintainedreciprocable in the sleeve 68. The stem extends upward and is slidablysupported in a bearing 8| at the top of an upright extension 82 of thestar shaped bracket 35. i

At the bottom of the stem is an enlarged formation 83 which is normallydisposed within the top portion of the rubber ring for providing anabutment for thebottle when being raised on they bottle support, inraising the capping head therewith. The abutment formation 83 alsoserves to position and maintain the bottle neck within the rubber ringso that the skirt of the cap placed on the bottle is closely surroundedby the ring in the raisedposition of the head.

Upon the capping head reaching its raised position, actuating means areprovided, elective upon rcontinued rotation of the turntable, fordepressing the plunger head 15 in compressing the rubber ring so as tospread same; or contract. same inwardly to exert forming pressure on thecap skirt I 4a and form same tightly over and about the protuberance orbead I Ia about the bottle mouth IIb, as best seen in Figs. 5, 6 and'7.-

Said means includes a forked lever 84 pivotally mounted at its forkedends at 85 on the upright extension of the bracket 35, and straddles thecollar 16 which has an annular groove 86 within which is received theopposed pins 81 in the forked part of the lever for providing a pivotalconnection. When the capping head is in lowered position, the lever 84normally extends radially of the turntable axis, from its pivotalconnection, downwardly inclined from the horizontal. At the outer endofA the' lever 84 is a roller 88 which, when the capping head is raised,and the lever is thus raised also toincline upward, engages an arcuatesegmental cam 88a.' mounted on the two uprights 21 at the right hand endof the machine, Ywhich depresses the lever and thus operates the plungerhead 15. 'I'he cams 88a-and 43 are so shaped and arranged in cooperativerelation to simultaneously' hold the bottle support plungers in raisedposition and actuate the ring compressing plunger during about 120degrees rotation of the turntable.

Coacting with said actuating means are means for holding the cappinghead in raised position during. the vdepressing of the plunger, wherebythe downward pressureexerted upon the head by the compressing of therubber ring is not transferred to the bottle, thereby precluding thepossibility of the bottles being broken or damaged. Said means comprisesa forked lever 89 pivotally mounted at its forked ends at .98 on theupright extension of. the bracket 35, and'straddles the collar 1| inwhich there is a peripheral groove 9| within which is received theopposed pins 92 in the forked part of the lever for providing a pivotalconnection. When the capping head is in lowered position, as seen inFig. 5, the levers 84 and 89 are normally disposed in parallelism, inwhich relation they remain during the raising of the capping head. Atthe outer endv of the lever 89 is a roller 93 which, upon the cappinghead reaching its raised position, engages on the top of a dwell cam 94in the form ofan arcuate segment arranged concentric with the turntableand being mounted on the two end uprlghts 21y below the cam 88B. Thecamis so cooperatively related to' the cam 88a, whereby the head is heldfin raised position during the operation of the ringcompressing plunger.

As best seen in Figs. and 6, in the event a bottle is not placed on abottle support plunger when same is raised, the capping head thereoveris neither raised nor is the ring `compressing plunger actuated, for thereason that the rollers 88 and 93 of the levers 84 and 89 respectively,pass under and clear of the cams 88a and 94. Thus the rubber ring is notunnecessarily compressed when a bottle is not present therein.Therefore, the effective life of the rubber ring is prolonged. r

The structure disclosed effects an important function, in that therubber ring exerts downwardly rubbing forming pressure on 4the cap skirtwhen the ring is compressed, which not only forms the cap skirt over thebead about the bottle mouth, but also draws the cap down tightly overthe mouth-end of the bottle. Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 in which saidfunction is best ascertainable, it will be seen that the normal shape ofthe rubber ring is tubular, when initially entered by a cap.y Thus asthe ring is gradually compressed, the particular portion of the innercylindrical surface 95 of the ring that initially contacts with the capskirt when being con.- stricted, gradually works downward therealong asthe ring is further compressed, for the reason that the ring is beinggradually -shortened in length. The result is that the cap skirt isevenly formed about the bottle neck.

It may be stated that the containers illustrated are ordinary milkbottles within the mouth of which is an annular recess 96 forsnuglyreceiving the customary disc cap 91. The purpose 'of the skirtedcap I4 is to protect or shield the mouth of the'bottle fromcontamination.

. surrounding the skirt of a cap placed on a bottle,

means for peripherally confining the ring, means for elevating saidring, means cooperating with said elevating means to hold said ring inone position, and stationarycam actuated means for lin which the ring isperipherally confined andl compressing the ring so as to spread the samein- ,wardly to exert pressurev for forming the cap skirt on: the bottle.

- 2. In a bottle capping machine for pliable skirted caps, means formoving a bottle being capped, a ring of resilient material for closelysurrounding the skirt of a cap placed on a bottle, means forperipherally confining the ring, means for elevating said ring, astationary cam for holding said ring in elevated position andmechanically operable elements engaging both at sides of the ring forcompressing the same ilatwise to spread the ring inwardly for exertingforming pressure on the ,cap skirt.

3. In a bottle capping machine for pliable skirted caps, means formoving a bottle being capped, a ringof resilient material for closelysurrounding-the skirt of a cap placed on a bottle, means for causingrelative movement between said bottle'and said ring, a hollow memberwithhaving an annular shoulder formation supporting one ilat side of'thering, amember movably connected with the hollow member and engaging theother flat side of the ring for compressing the same flatwise so as tospread the ring inwardly in exerting a forming pressure on the capskirt, and stationary means for holding said hollow member and ring inan elevated position during compression of said ring.

4. In a machine for securing pliable skirted caps over the mouths ofbottles, the combination of a ring of resilient'm'aterial for closelysurrounding the skirt of acap placed on the mouth of the bottle, meansfor causing relative movement between a bottle and said ring, means forperiodically holding said ring in raised position,

andmeans for compressing said ring iiatwise so i as to spread the sameinwardly in exerting pressure on the cap skirt and form the same overthe mouth of the bottle, said means being'responsive to the relativemovement between said bottle and said ring.

5. In a container capping machine, a reciprocably mounted containersupport adapted to be moved lto raised and lowered positions, anoperating cap applying device reciprocably mounted above the support andadapted' to be moved to raised position by engagement with the containeron the support upon raising thereof, a stationary cam, means actuated bysaid cam for operating the cap applying device upon reaching its raisedposition, and means for holding the.'

ing device after'reaching its raised position, andv means for holdingthe device in raised position duringa cycle of cap applying operation.

7. In a container capping machine, means for ,f moving a bottle beingcapped, a reciprocably mounted cap applying device movable to raised andlowered positions, said device including mechanism for applyi'n'g acap,' actuating means for operating said mechanism, a cam, controlaosaiao 'l means associated with said cam and arranged whereby saidactuating means is respectively rendered in and out of cooperativeoperable relation with said mechanism when the device is in raised andlowered positions, and means` for holding said device in raised positionduring a cycle of operation of the cap applying mecha- -nism. m8. In abottle capping machine for pliable skirted caps, a reciprocably mountedcapping head movable to raised and lowered positions,

with said cam for operating said mechanism,

control means arranged whereby the operating means is in effectiveoperable connection when the head is in raised position.

9. In av bottle capping machine for pliable',

skirted caps, a reciprocably mounted capping head movable( to raised andlowered positions, a ring of resilient material mounted in the head andadapted to closely 4surround the skirt cfa cap placed on the neck( oi.'a bottle, mechanism for compressing the ring flatwise so as to spreadsame inwardly to exert forming pressure on the cap skirt, a stationarycam, means engageable with said cam for operating said mechanism,

control means arranged whereby the operating means is in effectiveoperable connection when the head is in raised position, and mechanismarranged to hold the head in raised position during a cycle of operationof the ring compressing mechanism.

l0. In a bottle capping machine for pliable skirtedcaps, means formoving a bottle being capped, a reciprocably mounted bottle supportassociated therewith and adapted to be moved to raised and loweredpositions, acapping head reciprocably mounted above the support, a ringof resilient material mounted in the head and adapted to closelysurround the skirt of the cap on a bottle upon initial raising of thesupport, means operable through the intermediation of the bottle beingon the support for causing the support to raise the head upon thecontinued raising thereof, mechanism associated with the head forcompressing the ring so as to spread same inwardly to exert formingpressure on the cap skirt,` actuating means for operating saidmechanism, control ymeans arranged whereby said actuating meansY isbrought into and out of cooperative operable connection respectivelywhen the head is moved to raised and lowered positions, and meansarranged to hold the head in raised position during a cycle of operationof the ring. compressing mechanism.

11. In a bottle capping machine for pliable caps of skirted formation, arotatable carrier, a

, capping head mounted on the carrier for movement to raised.and loweredpositions and having anV annular isupport formation, a ring of resilientmaterial supported on said formation and adapted to closely surround theskirt of a cap on a bottle, a plunger member reciprocablymounted in thehead and normally engaging the ring side opposite the support formation,cam means operable upon part rotation'of the carrier and when the headis in raised position for holding same in said position, and cam meansoperable upon said part rotation of the carrier and -when the head is inraised position for re- 12. In avbottle capping machine lfor pliablecaps of skirted formation, a ring of resilienty material adapted toreceive the neck of a bottle so as to surround the skirt of the cap, a.reciprocable hollow member within which the ring is peripherallyconfined and having an annular bottle engaging abutment elementconnected to the hollow member for positioning the bottle neck in thering, means for holding the bottle engaged with the abutment element,means for operatingthe plunger, and means for holding said hollow memberinv raised position during "compression of said ring.

13. In a machine for securing caps over the mouths of bottles, thecombination of a ring o-f resilient material for closely surrounding theportion of a cap placed over the mouth of a bottle; means for causingrelative movement between the bottle and said ring; mechanism forperiodically holding said ring in raised position; means for compressingsaid ring so as to spread the same inwardly in exerting pressure on saidcap and forming the same over the mouth of the bottle, said compressingmeans l rendered effective by the presence of a bottle to be .capped andrendered ineffective by the absence of a bottle to be capped. v

14; In a machine for securing skirted pliable caps over the mouths andends of bottles, the

combination of a head having a ring of resilient material for closelysurrounding the skirt portle; mechanism for causing relative movementbetween the bottle and said head; mechanism for periodically holdingsaid head in raised position independently of said bottle; and mechanismindependent of said bottle for compressing said ring both upwardly anddownwardly to spread the same inwardly and exert a pressure on said capand skirt to form the same over themouth of the bottle.

15. In a machine for securing skirted pliable caps over themouths andends of bottles, the combination of a head having a ring of resilientmaterial for closely surrounding the skirt portion of the cap placedover the mouth of a bottle; means for causing relative movement betweenthe bottle and said head; mechanism for periodically holding said headin, raised position independently of said bottle; and mechanismindependent of said bottle forcompressing said ring both upwardly anddownwardly to spread the same inwardly and exert a pressure on said capand skirt to form the same over the mouth of the bottle, the operationof said compressing mechanism being controlled by the presence orabsence of a bottle to be capped.

CHRISTIAN HARRISDN BRIN'I'ON.

' tion of thecap placed over the mouth of a bot- Y,

